W.G. Habershon (1818-91)

William Gilbee Habershon was articled to his father, architect Matthew Habershon. He began practice in 1843 in St Neots, subsequently moving to London, and was admitted FRIBA on 9 February 1852, his proposers being his father’s pupil Ewan Christian, Sir John Pennethorne and Thomas Leverton Donaldson. He and his brother Edward inherited their father’s practice upon his death in 1852. On the dissolution of the partnership with his brother Edward in 1863, William entered into a partnership with his former pupil, Alfred Robert Pite, as Habershon & Pite. Pite had left to gain experience in the office of Philip Charles Hardwick in 1851 and had emigrated to Brazil as architect to the Don Pedro Railway, 1856. He was admitted FRIBA on 5 December 1864. Pite (father of William Alfred Pite and Arthur Beresford Pite) retired in 1877 at the early age of 45 (he died on 15 February 1911) and Habershon continued the practice with James Follet Fawckner as Habershon & Fawckner who had been a partner since 1870, although his name did not appear in the firm’s title at that time. Details of Fawckner are lacking as he never joined the RIBA but he had probably been a senior assistant. William Gilbee Habershon died on 12 August 1891.